Officers end course on human rights

THIRTY training officers from the police force have completed a weeklong course on human rights and law enforcement.
It was organised by the United Nations’ human rights division and ended with a resolution to rebuild the trust of police functions to the public.
UN human rights adviser Patrick Marega Castella told The National that the training was part of capacity building and training project of human rights which were agreed between the UN and the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary.
Of the 30 officers, 15 were from the National Capital District and 15 from other provinces.
Castella said the aim of the course was to prove the work of the police in the country, improve police image and  ensure that trust was instilled.
He said some of the key issues discussed were regarding arrest and detention, how to deal with victims and suspects and their rights.
“The idea is very much to ensure a human rights base approach to policing functions to see how human rights can become part of daily police functions and how you do that is by integrating human rights aspects directly in law enforcement functions,” Castella said.
“It’s a privilege for us as we are working with the United Nations Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights. What we need right now is the support of the leadership to ensure that work they learned here will be used and would continue,” he said.